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The Implications and Four Plans of ‘Operation Chromite ’, Inchon Amphibious Operation

Sangho Lee 1

1국방부군사편찬연구소

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This paper reviews the overall ‘Chromite Operation’ plan based on the MacArthur Memorial Collection documents and compares the details of the four operational plans. We will also look into the relevance of the contingency plan SL-17, which was prepared just before the war that some researchers had suggested, to develop in early July, LD-SL-17. In general, when discussing the operation plan of the Inchon Landing Operation, the Chromite Operation Plan, there are three operational plans listed as 100-B, 100-C and 100-D. And these operation plans have been understood as different landing areas - Incheon, Gunsan, and Jumunjin – respectively. However, if you analyze the plan carefully, this is a misinterpretation. In other words, each operation plan is based on the Incheon Landing Operation, and if the US 8th Army does not break the front line of the North Korean Army on the Nakdong River Front, it will undertake an additional landing operation. LD-SL-17(Logistic Study Covering Operations in Korea, LD-SL-17) prepared by the US Army Chief of Staff (G-4), which has been known to be the basis of the Chromite Operation Plan, 17). The plan was revised in July, early in the war. But as we have seen, it is unlikely that this plan is directly linked to the Chromite operation plan. The detailed operational plan does not fit. Therefore, it is unreasonable to claim that the pre-war Far East forces in Korea already predicted and prepared for the outbreak of war. In addition, we can confirm that each project has an organic relation that the meaning of the four chromite operation plans are optional. In other words, 100-A has a meaning as a fake attack plan of the 100-B plan, and it was an operation that could also be used as a real plan in case of emergency. The 100-C plan and the 100-D plan were complementary plans of the 100-B plan. In other words, the Incheon Landing Operation Plan will proceed as planned, assuming the US 8th Army, which can not break the North Korean Front along the Nakdong River, and as a complementary measure, the 100- And the 100-D plan was to annihilate the North Korean forces in South Korea through further landing in the Gangneung- Jumunjin area.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.